Boot-blacking machine.



No. 636,42l.

A. E. WATK|NS. BOOT BLACKING MACHINE.

(Application filed Nov. 14, 1898.)

Patented Nov. 7, I899.

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ALFRED E. WATKINS, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF SEVEN- EIGHTHS TO BERNARD F. SEADLER, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

BOOT-BLACKING MACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,421, dated November 7, 1899. Application filed November 14, 1898. Serial No. 696,349. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED E. WATKINS, of Jersey City, Hudson county, New Jersey, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Boot-Blacking Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to boot-blacking machines.

It has for its object to provide a removable cover for concealing the foot-rests of the bootblacking machine and means actuated by the person whose shoes are to be blacked for removing the cover and a stop for locking these means until a coin has been deposited in the I5 coin-chute. It consists of the novel devices herein shown and described.

In the drawings, in which I have shown the preferred form of my improved device and in which corresponding numerals in the differ- 2o ent views represent similar parts, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved devices, and Fig. 2 a vertical section on the line 2 f Fig. 1.

1 represents a casing inclosing automatic boot-blacking machinery of any suitable description. .I provide a cover for concealing the foot-rests and also, preferably, the machinery of the boot-blacking device. In the drawings this cover is shown as a hinged lid 2, secured to rod 3 and movable in bearings 4 4L and secured to the casing. When the machine is at rest, this lid is closed and conceals the foot-rests 5. When the machine is operated, the lid is raised into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

3 5 I cause the person whose boots are to be blacked to raise and lower the lid by means of the following-described mechanism:

6 is a chair secured to and adapted to revolve upon its axis 7, passing through the 0 framework of the casing. When the machine is at rest, the chair is held normally in such a position that an occupant of the chair cannot place his foot upon the foot-rests. As shown in the drawings, the chair is placed so as to face away from the lid. I arrange connecting mechanism between the chair and the lid, so that when the chair is revolved, as in the direction of the arrow, the connecting mechanism will raise the lid. This connecting mechanism consists of arm 8, fixedly secured to axis 7, rod 9, pivotally connected to arm 8 and also to bell-crank 10, the latter being pivoted to the casing at 11, and rod 12, pivotally connected to the other end of bellcrank 10 and also to arm 13, which is fixedly secured to rod 3 of the lid. As the chair revolves in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1 the above-described connecting mechanism raises the lid and exposes the foot-rests.

In order to assist in the raising of the lid, I fasten to rod 3 or to the rear of the lid a curved lever-arm 18. Over this arm runs a cord 15 to a weight 16. The weight exerts a pull at all times upon the lid and assists in raising it. The lever-arm is so constructed 6 as to exert a decreasing pull as the lid rises.

A transverse groove 17 is out in rod 12, and one end of a lever 18, pivoted at 20, normally rests in this groove, thus acting as a stop to lock the chair in its normal position and prevent the occupant from turning the chair until he has first deposited a coin in the coinchute 19. The weight of the coin strikes upon the other end of the lever 18, which projects into the coin-chute, and raises the lever out of depression 17, permitting the occupant of the chair to turn it to raise the lid.

My improved device is capable of use with any automatic boot-blacking machinery-for instance, such as is shown in my prior appli- 8o cation for a patent, Serial No. 671,252. My invention, however, is not limited to use with such boot-blacking machinery.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a boot-blacking machine, the combination of a cover for concealing the footrests, a chair adapted to revolve and held normally in such a position that an occupant of the chair could not place his feet upon the foot-rests without revolving the chair, connecting mechanism between the chair and the cover, whereby upon revolving the chair the cover will be raised, substantially as set forth.

2. In a boot-blacking machine, the combination of a cover for concealing the footrests, a chair adapted to revolve and held normally in such a position that an occupant of the chair could not place his feet upon the loo foot-rests without revolving the chair, connecting mechanism between the chair and the cover whereby upon revolving the chair the cover will be raised, a stop to lock the chair in its normal position and adapted to be withdrawn by a coin in its passage down the chute to permit the chair to be revolved, substantially as set forth.

3. In a boot-blacking machine, the combination of a hinged lid for concealing the foot-rests, a weight or equivalent device secured to the lid and adapted to assist in raising it, a chair adapted to revolve and held normally in such a position that an occupant of the chair could not place his feet upon the foot-rests without revolving the chair, connecting mechanism between the chair and the cover, whereby upon revolving the chair the cover will be raised, substantially as set forth.

4. In a boot-blacking machine, the combination of a hinged lid for concealing the I foot-rests, a curved lever-arm fixedly secured to the rear of the lid, a weight pendent from the arm adapted to assist in raising the lid, a chair adapted to revolve and held normally in' such a position that an occupant of the chair could not place his feet upon the footrests without revolving the chair, connecting mechanism between the chair and the cover, whereby upon revolving the chair the cover will be raised, substantially as set forth.

5. In a boot-blacking machine, the combination of a hinged lid for concealing the foot-rests, a weight secured to the lid and adapted to assist in raising it, a chair adapted to revolve and held normally in such a position that an occupant of the chair could not place his feet upon the foot-rests without revolving the chair, connecting mechanism between the chair and the cover, whereby upon revolving the chair the cover will be raised, a stop to lock the chair in its normal position and adapted to be withdrawn by a coin in its passage down the chute to permit the chair to be revolved, substantially as set forth.

6. In a boot-blacking machine, the combination of a hinged lid for concealing the foot-rests, a curved lever-arm fixedly secured to the rear of the lid, a weight pendent from the arm adapted to assist in raising the lid whereby a decreasing pull will be exerted by the weight as the lid rises, a chair adapted to revolve and held normally in such a position that an occupant of the chair could not place his feet upon the foot-rests without revolving the chair, connecting mechanism between the chair and the cover, whereby upon revolving the chair the cover will be raised, a stop to lock the chair in its normal position and adapted to be withdrawn by a coin in its passage down the chute to permit the chair to be revolved, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED E. WATKINS.

Witnesses:

EDWIN SEGER,

GEo. W. MILLS, Jr. 

